LAHORE: The people need not to panic, as almost 90 to 99 per cent of the victims recover from monkeypox by themselves but staying the person diagnosed with the disease is necessary.
President of General Cadre Doctor Association, Dr Masood Akhtar Sheikh while addressing a seminar on Monkeypox disease said that use of simple antipyretics or painkillers is enough and the virus can settle on fomites including used clothes, towels or even can stay on electronic equipment or other physical items contaminated with the monkeypox virus, therefore isolation is mandatory if the disease is diagnosed.
It may be noted that Monkeypox virus was discovered in Denmark in 1958 in monkeys kept for research and the first reported human case of this virus was a nine-month-old boy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 1970.
In 2017, this virus re-emerged in Nigeria and continues to spread among people across the country and travelers to other destinations. In May 2022, an outbreak of monkeypox appeared suddenly and rapidly spread across Europe, the Americas and then all six WHO regions, with 110 countries reporting about 87 thousand cases and 112 deaths.
The global outbreak has affected primarily (but not only) gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men and has spread person-to-person through sexual networks.
Dr. Masood maintained that the disease mostly affects children, pregnant women and people with weak immune system. Initially, the patient has a fever, headache, back pain, and muscle pain, after which the lymph nodes of the body become swollen.
A rash may appear on the face, palms, soles of the feet, or specific parts of the body that lasts for two to three weeks. The rash gradually turns into watery blisters that eventually dry out, he said, adding: “All persons who have such symptoms or have been in contact with a monkeypox patient or have travelled abroad should contact government hospital.”
Dr Muhammad Shahbaz said that until the watery blisters fall off and dry, this disease can be transmitted from one person to another. Symptoms may worsen in newborns, young children, and immune-compromised individuals.
If precautions are not taken, pneumonia and eye problems are seen, he added. Dr Ghulam Farid said that touching watery blisters or any such part where these blisters are present can cause the disease to be transmitted.
As long as there is no water in the blisters or new skin comes or there is inflammation and blisters in the eyes or any part of the body, then the disease can be transmitted from one to another, he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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